Remote working could be a permanent feature in South Africa as a large part of the world is still in lockdown as it attempts to conquer the global war against COVID – 19. In some countries, it is reported that a few industries such as the technology industry stands to gain and benefit from Covid 19.
Many South Africans have continued to work from home even after lockdown restrictions have been eased. This after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the country would into lockdown to help curb the spread of Covid 19.
Cisco South Africa country manager, Garsen Naidoo has stated that they were pleasantly surprised about how remote working did not have a bad effect on their industries/organization.
“We were fascinated to learn that working from home didn’t significantly impact the output. Employees are still as productive as they were in the office, partly as a result of not spending time getting to the office and settling in. It suggests that an employee’s mental energy remains finite, within the context of traditional roles and tools, said Naidoo.
Growthpoint Properties, which is the country’s largest domestic landlord for offices boasting 161 properties. The company has stated that they have started to see a shift in the development of offices to working from home.
“Economic imperatives are driving some companies to reduce their office spaces, and work-from-home routines are creating uncertainty about the future space requirements. The good news is that the initial sentiment that offices would no longer be needed is receding with hybrid working patterns set to endure”.
According to Linda Trim, director at Giant Leap which happens to be South Africa’s biggest workplace design consultancies.
The way people work has changed significantly as things like video meetings have become the norm.
“The way people work has significantly changed as video meetings have become the norm and people working in the office have flooded enclosed spaces so they can avoid disturbing others…”, said Trim.
“What employees really want is an office that helps them easily do both collaborative and individual work, where they feel a greater sense of belonging and control over their work experience”, she said.
“Their work from home experience during the pandemic has shown them the value of having a place to call their own – 70% of people who globally have either an office or a dedicated zone within their home where they have more control over their environment”, said Trim.
